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by Jessica Wilson
Bakeries abound these days, but one University City bakery has the market cornered on delicious cupcakes. Jilly’s Cupcake Bar features some of the most delectable desserts created and served by one of the smartest business women in town.
Jilly’s is the brain child of Jill Segal, who used to work in radio advertising before deciding to open her own cupcake shop after reading an article about the success of similar stores on the east and west coasts. Jilly's opened in July 2007 after lots of hard work. Segal says opening her own business wasn’t easy.
Opening a cupcake shop may seem a little odd for a self-proclaimed frosting hater, but Segal says, “the bottom line of cupcakes is that everyone gets what they like in an individual treat as opposed to cake where everyone eats the same thing.” That’s one of the keys to the success of the catering aspect of Jilly's — her cupcakes have become a popular treat at weddings, showers and other events.
When Segal decided to open her own shop, she went to a group of female friends for financial help. She says, “the key to success is to not allow others to control your money or your destiny.” Segal believes that piece of advice is especially important for women trying to start their own business because there are people out there that think they can take advantage of women. Segal recalls some vendors who tried to take advantage of her when she began buying equipment for her shop. She simply remained calm and told them if they wanted her business they needed to treat her with the same respect as they would a man.
The cupcake creations aren’t all Segal’s doing. She was smart enough to hire people who love to bake and who love to come up with the tasty creations, like the Bee Sting, which is a vanilla cupcake filled with lemon and honey syrup and a honey lemon curd with lemon cream cheese and toasted almonds on top (now that’s a mouthful!). Segal says it’s very exciting every time an employee comes up with a new creation, and it’s even more fun tasting them. There are so many different flavors that Jilly’s rotates cupcakes based on the day and the season.
In just the short year that it has been open, Jilly’s has become a popular spot for locals. The cupcakes aren’t the only draw. Jilly’s serves a variety of salads and sandwiches for breakfast and lunch.
The cupcakes, though, are what keeps people coming back. Segal believes part of the reason people keep coming back is that they see how much the staff love their jobs. She says the work is hard, but it’s fun and “customers come in and see how happy everyone is, and they get excited, and that makes them want to come back.” Plus, she says, “cupcakes make everyone happy.”
Another key to Segal’s success is that she surrounds herself with other strong business women — people who are going through similar things.
Segal calls opening her own cupcake bar “a very huge experience.” She’s learned a lot over the last year and says that if she knew then what she knows now, she would have started with a smaller staff.
From the vanilla cupcake to the twisted red velvet cupcake, only the best ingredients are used — including a love of the tasty treats. Maybe that’s why Jilly’s has been contacted by Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray about her tasty creations. And, for the record, Segal does like the frosting they serve on Jilly’s cupcakes.
Jilly’s Cupcake Bar is located in University City at Delmar and Interstate 170.
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